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(No Model.)

R. S. MGCALLEN SuM. M. ROSS.

BNVBLOPE, N0. 505,718. Patented sept. 26,1893

wlmi f wUnrfrnn STATES PATENT y Ormea.

ROBERT S. MCCALLEN AND MARCUS M. ROSS, OF NASHVILLE, .IENNESSEE;`

` SAID MCCALLEN ASSIGNOR TO SAID ROSS.

ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming* part of Letters Patent No. 505,718, dated September 26, 1893. Application filed September 14, 1892. Serial No. 445,906. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whoml it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT S. MoCALLnN and MARCUSM. ROSS, citizens of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Envelope, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in envelopes; and the objects in view are to provide an envelope designed to be employed in the mails andv by express and messenger companies; to so construct the envelope as to adapt it to receive and removably retain a return card designed to be disengaged and mailed or forwarded to the original sender, thereby serving as a receipt for delivery of the letter by the carrier. By our envelope we propose to thus reduce the cost now attendant where return receipt cards are employed, as in registered mail, and also to reduce the time in which the return or receipt card shall be received by the original sender after the delivery of the letter, by reason of the fact that it will require no entering up upon the books of the postmasters or express agents and no signing by such functionaries.

With the above objects in view and the overcoming of the above noted objections, our invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter referred to'and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is a plan of the blank from which our envelope is constructed. Fig. 2 is a plan of the envelope ready for sending. Fig. 3 is a reverse view of the same. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail of the return card after it has been severed from the envelope.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the gures.

The main section 1, is preferably oblong in plan, though any otherregular desired shape may be given it, and the same is formed integral with a side section 2, of similar shape, though not quite so wide, and with an end section 3, also of similar shape, of the same width as the side-section 2. The main and side sections are divided by an intermediate longitudinal fold line 4, and the main and end sections are divided with a transverse fold line 5. Atthat edge opposite the side section, the

main section is provided with afold line, 6, the

remaining portion or edge of said main section forming a sealing iiap 7, which when the two sections 3 and 2 are folded over upon the main section, is pasted to the exterior surface of the latter section and thus holds the three flaps in their proper relative positions. The outer end `0f the end section 3 is provided with a folding sealing flap 8, as is also the corresponding end of the side section 2, which latter is designated as 9. The section 2 is further provided at its opposite end with a small tongue lO, adapted to be separated from the section 2 by a'perforated tearing line 11, and

beyond the same provided with a coating of paste. This completes the construction of the blank of the envelope, and the same is formed by first folding the flap 3 upon the main ilap, then folding the section 2 upon the section 3, pasting the flap 7 upon the exterior of the section 2; and hnally pasting the flap 9 upon the section 1. The envelope it will be seen is thus divided into two compartments formed by the sections 1 and 3 and 3 and 2, the former being designed to receive the letter, after whose introduction said compartment is closed by the iiap 8. The remaining compartment, however, is at all times open.

v 12 designates a return or receipt card adapted to fit the mouth of said remaining compartment and the same may be similar to i an ordinary postal-card, that is, with the stamp imprinted thereon, or the sta mp may be placed upon it by the sender of the letter but preferably the former. This card is provided at one edge with a tag or tongue 13, which is coincident with and partakes of the shape of the tongue 10 of the flap 2. The tongue 13 has printed thereon these words, Detach and return.

In practice the letter is inserted in the eni velope in the usual manner, after which the sealing iiap 9 is closed. The card is then directed to the sender, and placed in the remaining pocket of the envelope and the sealing tongue dampened and pasted to the tongue IOC leaving the tongue of the card intact, thus permitting him to remove the card from the envelope and leaving the envelope otherwise intact and its contents still preserved, after which he mails the card back to the original sender, who receiving the same is thus notiiied promptly that the letter has been received, and by glancing at the naine at the end can see Which letter the receipt is for. It will thus be seen that we have provided a very cheap and simple envelope that may be manufactured readily and without undue waste of stock, and which when employed in connection with the return card will answer every purpose of the now much employed and eX- pensive registered letter system and yet secure the same at a much cheaper rate. The return card serves the same function of the return card of the registering system yet costs but one-tenth as much and aside from this less time is required to get the receipt from the receiver to the sender, as no numbering and entering upon books and signing are required. It will of course be understood that the sealing-Hap 7 may be formed upon the outer edge of the section 2, and fold upon and be pasted to the back of the section l, such being an obvious change and not varying materially from the construction and form of blank which we have hereinbefore described.

Having described our invention, what We claim isl. The herein described blank for forming the two compartment envelope the same consisting of the rectangular section l, having at one end the foldable end section 3, and the side foldable section 2, the sections 2 and 3 being of corresponding Width and slightly narrower than the section 1 and each provided at its outer and corresponding end with the sealing flaps, said section l having at its outer edge the sealing flap 7, and the section 2 provided at its inner end with the coated adhesive tongue 10 divided from the section 2 by a perforated tearing line, substantially as specified.

2. The herein described blank for forming the two compartment envelope the same consisting of the rectangular section l, having at one end the foldable end section 3, and the side foldable section 2, the sections 2 and 3 being of corresponding` width and slightly narrower than the section l and each provided at its outer and corresponding end with the sealing flaps, said section l having at its outer edge the sealing tlap 7, substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. MOCALLEN. MARCUS M. ROSS.

Witnesses:

J. D. WALLIS, H. M. HALLEMAN. 

